Child Hunger

A staggering one in five children is food insecure in central and northern New York. Chronic hunger, although harmful to all people, is particularly devastating to our most vulnerable population: children.

Research has shown that childhood food insecurity is connected to a large number of developmental delays or deficiencies in school-aged children including physical, psychological, and behavioral health issues. Conditions linked to childhood food insecurity include:

Impaired development of non-cognitive abilities (i.e., interpersonal relations, self-control) among school-age children

Insecure attachment and less advanced mental proficiency in toddlers

Lower bone mineral content in adolescent boys

More stomachaches, frequent headaches, and colds among children

Higher hospitalization rates among young children

Behavioral problems among three-year-old children

Higher rates of depressive disorder and suicidal symptoms among adolescents

More anxiety and depression among school-age children

Lower math achievement and math progress in kindergartners

Lower math and reading gains from kindergarten to third grade

Lower arithmetic scores and higher likelihood of repeating a grade among children ages 6-11 [i]

[i] Coleman-Jensen, Alisha, William McFall and Mark Nord. Food Insecurity in Households With Children: Prevalence, Severity, and Household Characteristics, 2010-11, EIB-113, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, May 2013.